You change your smoke alarm batteries at certain times of the year, right? Often when the time change occurs, we take the steps to insure the safety of our families by changing those batteries. But, when do we take a few minutes to clean out our medicine cabinet?
How about NOW!?!
The new year is a perfect time to clean out the medicine cabinet. For me, that is an area that is actually a very tiny space in our kitchen cupboards. It is the most logical place for a medicine “cabinet” because, well nothing else would fit there! Thankfully, we recently cleaned out our medicine cabinet because we moved but you don’t want to know how bad it was prior to the move. I mean I found empty boxes, expired medicine, and even some things I had forgotten about. It was a cluttered mess!
Thanks to Nature Made, I have some tips for you that will get your medicine cabinet organized for the new year!
Medicine Cabinet Makeover Tips:
Check Expiration Dates: Make sure to look for the expiration date on prescription and over-the counter medicines, as well as your vitamins. Expiration dates should be clearly marked on the product label or bottle. If a vitamin product is past its expirationdate, some of the nutrients may not meet their labeled potency. Toss out items that are expired but do not flush vitamins or other supplements. For more information on how to properly dispose of expired items, visit http://www.epa.gov/aging/docs/disposal-meds-flyer.pdf.
Restock With High Quality Items: It’s important to restock your shelves with high quality brands recommended by health care professionals or those that have been tested and verified by credible third-party sources such as USP. The USP Verified Seal tells you that a product has been independently verified for quality, purity, strength and disintegration. Always remember to talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about a specific product or dosage.
Group Like Items Together: The key to an organized medicine cabinet is to put the items you reach for mostfrequently front and center. Most often vitamins and supplements are recommended once-daily so they should be positioned for easy access. Additionally, make sure vitamins and supplements in adult dosages are kept out of reach of little ones if there are children in the house.
One other thing that I have always done that is a throwback to nursing is that I always take a sharpie and write the expiration dates on the top lid. This way I can easily see before opening when it is set to expire. Knowing you can go to your medicine cabinet and grab what you need without worry about expiration date is a huge relief!
I encourage you to take those simple steps to get your medicine cabinet in control and take the first step to health and wellness this year.
Nature Made wants to help you get started with the best products in your freshly-cleaned medicine cabinet! Two winners will receive full size bottles of the Vitamin D3 2000 IU and Vitamin C 1000 mg products.
Enter in the widget below! Good luck!
Lily Kwan says
yes I do
Buddy Garrett says
I need to clean out my medicine cabinet.
Pixel Berry Pie says
I re-stock our cabinet quite often. 🙂 Vitamins are my family’s friends!
vivian blevins says
yes I need to clean out my medicine cabnet.
Marcy Strahan says
I clean mine out every 3 months & it’s about that time to do it! Then I make a list & restock up on OTC meds like cold & flu just in case!
allison says
yes i do!
Laurie Emerson says
I cleaned it out right before Christmas so it is in pretty good shape for now at least.
Terry Cross says
I just cleaned mine out last week
Katie says
Just saying “yes” doesn’t quite cut it, I haven’t cleaned under there in forever!
Donna L says
Yes, I do. I clean it out often but I thinks that time.
Mary Gardner says
Yes I do. I don’t think there is any medicine that needs to go out, but plenty of other junk I’m sure!
Lisa H. says
yes i have way too much stuff in it
Deborah Peck says
I just cleaned mine out last week
Myrna Kasick says
I recently moved, so my medicine cabinet is pretty well cleaned out.
E Bass says
I definitely need to clean mine out
Jennifer R says
Yes, I do need to clean out my medicine cabinet.
augrim says
I don’t throw away nutritional supplements until well after the expiration date.
AmyBond says
Yes, I really need to go through and throw out old and expired stuff.
Sky Evans says
I definitely do; it’s dirty.
Michelle S says
Yes, very much so!
susan smoaks says
i cleaned it out a few months ago so i am good for now.
Erica C. says
It’s okay right now…I usually keep tabs on it.
Sue J. says
I absolutely do need to clean out my medicine cabinet – thanks for the reminder!
Birdiebee says
No, I’ve already done it.
Cálaeb Temple says
no, i don’t. i don’t really take any meds except advil but i do stock up on vitamins.
Jaime Cummings says
no, we usually use all the meds up before buying new.
Misha Estrada says
I don’t really need to clean out my medicine cabinet. The huge cupboard in my bathroom is a different story.
Patricia Moneta says
No, I sort thru it often.
jules m. says
nope we cleaned it out last weekend, i had the flu and was looking for meds lol
danielle Marie says
yes desperately need to clean it out.
jeanette sheets says
i sure do
Kara Dee says
Actually ours ain’t that bad atm. xD
alyce poalillo says
I try to do it once a year but I am a bit overdue now.
Sarah S says
I really need to clean out my medicine cabinet. It’s one of my New Year’s resolutions.
Shanna says
Nope! Just did that a few weeks ago! =)
Paula Hafner says
Yes, I do. I try to keep up with it but it’s been awhile since I cleaned it out 100%.
Cheryl Chervitz says
No, I keep going through mine on a regular basis. I always make sure that everything I have is good on the exp. date.
Serge B says
Not really, its nice and neat
Zenetta says
Yes I do need to clean out my medicine cabinet.
xty cruz says
No, I don’t need to clean out my medicine cabinet
Debbie Welchert says
No I just cleaned it out about two months ago.
Cheryl Rahkonen says
I need to clean out my medicine cabinet, prescriptions setting on top of my dresser, and the kitchen cabinet where I keep vitamins. I really need to check the expiration dates–I am so behind.
Cindy Merrill says
Yes, thanks for this reminder! I can’t remember the last time I’ve checked the expiration dates!
liana says
I surely could use a medicine cabinet makeover.
luckylester says
It’s well organized, but not perfect….so I guess that means it could use some updating and cleaning
Theresa Pettit says
Just moved so it’s clean now.
Cindy Merrill says
I try to. Recently found a bottle of TUMS on the back shelf, dated back to 2010, threw it away.
Kelly D says
I cleaned out the medicine cabinet a few weeks ago, but it needs more work.
Denise B. says
No, we don’t have to clean out our medicine drawer (we don’t have a medicine cabinet.
Charlotte Padgett says
I don’t think there is much excess in our medicine cabinet right now.
Nicole Newby says
We actually do not need to clean out our medicine cabinet. I went through and did that right before our son was born (August 2012)
Brittney House says
No, mine is empty.
Christine says
I do need to clean out my medicine cabinet
Jacqueline W. says
I go through the medicine cabinet frequently to make room for more stuff.
linda lansford says
I need to clean out my medicine cabinet.
Joanna Allison says
Yes I do need to clean out my medicine cabinet. I haven’t done it in years.
Linda White says
I go thru my supplies quite often, so I think they are ok right now.
beth says
I am actually pretty good right now, but it will inevitably slide backwards and I will need to clean it out again.
Melissa Nagy says
I don’t schedule a cleaning of my medicine cabinet but I certainly check the date of everything before I consume it.
Cynthia C says
I do need to check for expiration dates. Our community has an annual disposal event, so I’ll get rid of expired meds when that happens.
Jen says
Important reminder! Thanks for sharing all of this great info. – Jen from your SITS tribe 🙂
Dominique Goh@Dominique's Desk says
We too do not have a medicine cupboard but I do check and throw out expired medication regularly. Visiting from the SITS tribe.
Vicki Wurgler says
I cleaned out our medicine cabinet recently
MommyJenna says
Yes I do. I think my hubby has three deodorants in there.
Heather B says
We do not have an actual medicine cabinet but the one we do keep things in definitely needs to be cleaned out, Maybe I will make that my special project for tomorrow.